Tokyo Stories: A Literary Stroll Volume 12

By: Lawrence Rogers

Book Overview

This anthology of translated short stories by Japanese writers captures the city of Tokyo through most of the twentieth century--a period of war, bombing, urbanization, and modernization, in short, constant change that has altered and continues to alter the very geography of the city. The eighteen stories, varying from literary sketches to popular fiction, picture everyday life in different parts of the city--in its nightclubs, department stores, bars, homes, and working-class neighborhoods. For the tourist, armchair traveler, or long-time resident, this book is a literary excursion into Tokyo illuminated by the evocative, and often ironic, words of its writers. These expertly translated stories range from reflections on deaths in his family by Akutagawa Ryunosuke, the venerated master of the short story, written just before his own suicide; to a story of an all-too-brief affair in the old part of Tokyo by Hayashi Fumiko; to an unsettling tale of high politics and possible blackmail by the ever-popular Mishima Yukio. The volume also introduces the work of Ikeda Michiko and Inaba Mayumi, who have never been translated into English before. Lawrence Rogers's introduction leads us on an intimate meditative stroll through the city's various districts--from the marble and mahogany of the business district to the skid row of San'ya--describing each in delightful vignettes. As an introduction to Tokyo and to the literary imaginations it has inspired, this engaging book will reveal something new about the nature of Japan's capital to all who wander through its pages.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520217888
• ISBN13: 9780520217881
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 315 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Recommended

This anthology of short stories is a brilliantly selected set of works. I was introduced to this novel because it was a required text for Rogers-sensei's Japanese Literature class. I opened the novel and was immediately intrigued; for every short story, Rogers includes an introduction that is very helpful in understanding the text. Rogers includes well-known authors such as Kawabata Yasunari and Ihara Saikaku, but also some pretty amazing writers I have never heard of. My favorite translation is Mishima Yukio's "Fountains in the Rain." I heartily recommend this short anthology to anyone interested in understanding Japanese culture through literary works.

Sensei is brilliant.

I read this book before I enrolled in any classes with Dr. Rogers, before I ever moved to Hilo, Hawai'i to persue a Japanese Studies major. My opinion may still be biased, but I was highly enamoured from the very beginning, before even meeting or talking to him. I really love the selection of authors. Some are well-known, although these pieces are not. Others are not well-known, at least in America. Sensei chose material that would be largely unfamiliar to an American audience, which suits me just perfectly. If I wanted things I'd already read, why would I bother? I had read none of these stories, however, and was unknowledgable with more than half of the authors. The translations are highly readable. I'm impressed at what a good writer Sensei is. As I haven't read the Japanese originals, nor am I immediately capable of reading them, I can't comment on their accuracy, however, I am Dr. Rogers' student, after all, and I know his fastidious habits. One of the best features of this text is the large introduction Sensei has penned. Interesting, insightful, readable and charming, it shows that Sensei is not just a translator and re-writer but a writer himself, and as I said above, I was delighted by his skill. I'd happily devour an entire book of his essays on Japan. I have so much to learn from him! I couldn't recommend this any more highly. While the stories are readable and entertaining in their own right, they'll also give you insight into Tokyo, the main thrust of the book. Their organization by geography of the city is a cute bonus. Kore wa totemo hontouni ii desu yo!